What did you just say?
by JenavyMalfoy
Summary: A crossover between The Vampire Diaries, Twilight, and a little bit of Percy Jackson thrown in. The story features an original character named Ariana, a vampire-werewolf-witch, who happens to be the daughter of Aphrodite and Poseidon. This story follows her life span of over 1000 years, many of which are spent with the Original vampires.
1. Twilight Intro

Disclaimer: All belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Rick Riordan and The CW and L. J. Smith. Not me.

Summary: The Cullens come back to Forks. But this time they have Ariana with them. Jasper and Rosalie's biological sister and Carlisle's own daughter. Bella isn't who she thinks she is and Edward doesn't believe it when he finds out who she really is. Ariana isn't quite normal either. Not even for the Cullens. Everything seems to get turned upside down with Ariana around and no one seems to believe any of it. Carlisle has nephews that are still "alive" in Mystic Falls, where EVERYTHING abnormal seems to happen. A different type of vampires with different laws. _These _are the "people" Ariana grew up with.

* * *

"But _how_ can she be Lizzie's daughter?" Edward asked his sister Ariana.

"How _couldn't_ she be?" Ariana shot back.

"Ares. . . How do you know?"

"Know what?" asked Ariana's biological brother Jasper, as he walked into the living room where the two were having their argument.

"Did I ever tell you the story of my childhood Jasp?" Edward quickly evaded the question.

"No." He sat on the couch beside his sister whereas Edward was sitting on the table in front of her.

"I was almost famous where I come from. I was from one of the wealthiest families there. But there was this girl there. . . Also from a wealthy family. . ."

Edward was getting lost in his story. Jasper could tell that much. But he could also tell that Ariana knew the story almost as well as Edward, if not better.

"She was my best friend. Other than Ares, anyway." He looked at his "sister". "Her name was Elizabeth. She had a younger sister. Her name was Victoria. Victoria Hansen."

Emmett came in the room after he had heard his brother say the names of the two girls. "Hansen?"

The other three looked up at the sound of Emmett's voice. "Oh, gosh." Ariana said. She walked over to Emmett and put a hand on his arm. He shook it off. "Oh, come on, Der! We were gonna tell you! I promise! We were going to!"

Emmett just stared at her.

Jasper whispered to Edward, "Did she just call him Der?"

"Yes," Edward whispered back.

"Why?"

"His name before Carlisle and Esme adopted him was Derek. Derek Hansen." Edward spoke barely above a whisper, but even then, everyone in the room heard him.

Because, you see, everyone in the room except Ariana, were vampires. Ariana was a half vampire. But she was completely Carlisle's daughter. Esme didn't care. She just treated Ariana like she was her own. Just as she did with the rest of them. Only a few people even knew who Ariana's mom was. Esme, Carlisle, Ariana, Jasper, and Rose. Since Ariana had only been living with them for a few months, she hadn't told the others her complete story.

"Vicki?" Emmett said in surprise when she called him Der.

"Who else?" Ariana said with a smirk.

"Wait. Why did you call her 'Vicki,' Em?" Jasper asked, stopping everyone from talking. The rest of the family came in, but they brought someone else in with them.

*A few months earlier*

"Who are they?" Bella asked Jessica and Angela, as the most beautiful people she had ever seen walked into the cafeteria at Forks High School, Home of the Spartans.

"Oh. That's the Cullens." Jessica answered.

"What about _them_?" Bella asked again as two more people came walking in behind the others.

"That's Ariana and Edward." Jessica said, after explaining that, 'like, all the Cullens were going out with each other because they were adopted.'

"Are _they_ going out?"

"Oh, no. They wouldn't even think of it. Ariana's nicer than the others. She normally sits with us at lunch. But isn't Edward like. . . A god? Of course, none of us are good enough for him." Jessica rambled.

*Back to the present*

"Bella! How good to see you!" Ariana said, moving from her spot beside Emmett to hug Bella.

"Um, hey."

"Edward. Jasper. Ares. What is going on?" Carlisle asked.

"I was. . . Telling Jasper about what happened when I was growing up when Emmett came in. And. . ."

Ariana stepped in when Edward stopped. "We were talking about the Hansens. We were going to tell Em soon, but. . . We never got around to it."

"And you spoke of the Hansens and Voltaires, did you?" Carlisle asked, sighing.

"Not yet, Dad. Only of the Hansens."

"Vick?" Emmett spoke up for the first time.

She turned back towards him.

"Ares. . ." he corrected himself. "What happened to Lizzie?" Emmett asked. Edward and Emmett both stared at her until she answered.

"I sent her to the past." Ariana paused. "And to the future." Ariana whispered.

"The past _and _the future? How far?" Emmett and Edward asked at the same time.

"Um. . . Well. . . You know how she was pregnant, right?"

"Yes," Edward answered as Emmett said, "no."

They looked at each other in confusion.

"How did you know and I didn't?" Emmett roared at Edward.

"She told me. Before she left."

"And how come she didn't tell me? Her own brother." He wasn't yelling now. He collapsed on the couch as he whispered the words.

Ariana came and sat by him. "Em. . . Don't take it personally, okay? She probably thought that you would try to keep her there so that you could help her. Because she knew you would do it. But. . . If Mom and Dad found out, Em. . . They would have kicked her out before you could say 'leave.'" Ariana spoke softly.

"Why did she tell you?"

"Because she knew I would help her any way I could. And I did. She wanted to have a better life. . . In the _future_."

"Then why did you send her to the past?" Edward asked.

"She thought it would be better for her child."

"And what happened to her and the child?"

"Well. . . The child grew up in the Civil War Era. Though, after she was grown, she asked me to send her to the future."

"And Lizzie?" Emmett spoke again.

"She didn't stay in the past. I sent her here. To the future."

"And what happened to the child? How far did you send her into the future?"

"They were reunited as mother and daughter and her child grew up again with the help of magic, returning her to a very young age."

"How far, Ari?" Edward's growl was almost as deep and terrifying as Emmett's.

"Far enough for," Ariana paused and took a deep breath. "Bella to be the child." She mumbled the last words, hoping no one heard her.


	2. Elizabeth

Thank you for reading and reviewing! Please review! The first few chapters aren't the greatest. I wrote them several years ago and wasn't sure how to change them without ruining the whole story so please wait for it to pick up a little and get more interesting!

* * *

Chapter Two:

* * *

"Bella?" Edward and Emmett yelled.

"Yes. . ." Ariana wouldn't look at either of them.

"What about me?" Bella looked between the three of them.

"I knew your mom when..." Ariana stopped and glanced back at Edward. He nodded, a solemn look on his face. She took a deep breath and started again. "I knew her when Edward was alive, Bella." Ariana glanced at Carlisle when he inhaled sharply.

"When did you find out, Ariana? That Renee was Elizabeth?"

"Just a few days ago . . . I was talking to her on the phone and suddenly, she just . . . Told me she knew who I was. She said she remembered me doing "magic" when I was a kid . . . Was she _around_ when I was a kid? All I remember is Mom and Damon and Stef. And, of course, all of my crazy family from _that _side. You know?" Ariana answered, as she sat next to Emmett on the couch.

"No, she couldn't have." Bella sat down on the couch, completely confused.

"Apparently she did, Bells." Ariana sat down beside her.

"How?"

"I'm not sure. . . But I do know this. Her name was Elizabeth Hansen. She. . . She kind of. . . Well, she got herself knocked up. She didn't know what to do, so she came to me for help. So I did the only thing I could think of doing, Bella. I sent her to the future. She asked me to do it. I couldn't refuse my sister that."

"Your sister? What are you talking about?"

"Her family . . . adopted me."

"And Emmett. . . You. . . You're my mom's brother?"

"Yeah... But calling me "Uncle Emmett" would be weird, so. . ." Emmett grinned as Bella laughed.

"Maybe you should call Damon, Ares . . . Tell him to come get you . . ." Carlisle told her, looking at Esme with questions visible in his eyes.

"But, Dad! I _have _to stay here! Damon can—" Ariana started. Edward cut her off.

"Calm _down_, Ares! The rest of us will meet you later, okay? Trust me. _Please_."

"Well, maybe I don't want to calm down! Maybe I don't want to leave. Maybe I don't even want to know about Renee." Ariana laughed nervously and threw her hands up in the air.

"Do you even know what you want anymore, Ariana?" Everyone turned to look at Bella, who was sitting in silence again, but spoke up when Ariana started to protest about leaving. "I mean. . ." She trailed off, looking out the window. "You didn't even like your dad for a long time. Why would you want to stay here with his family?"

"You have a point, Bells, but I just don't feel like going home. Too much is going on there. Back to the other-totally different conversation, by the way-that we were having, Charlie and Renee don't know. . . I took away Renee's memory and I made Charlie and Renee both believe that you were theirs."

"Who was my real father, Ariana?"

"I. . ." Ariana thought for a moment. "I don't know. She never told me. . ."

"Do you think... Do you think you could give Renee her memories back? Please, Ariana." Bella asked softly.

Ariana stared at Edward. He looked away.

"I don't think that's such a great idea, Isabella." She tore her eyes away from Edward.

"Why? I want to know my mom. The woman from the past. Is that really too much to ask?"

Ariana didn't have time to answer before a new voice spoke up from the open doorway.

"Yes, Bella. It is. But since Ariana's grandmother found me and gave me my memories back, I feel that it will be a lot easier than Ares expected to get you what you want."

The woman was tall and beautiful with shoulder length reddish blonde hair and blue eyes.

Three voices resounded as one as she walked farther into the room and stopped in front of them. They stood up. "Elizabeth." They breathed her name, breathless by the fact that she was standing in the flesh in front of them.

"Why are you here, Lizzie?" Emmett asked, about to continue with questions, but Ariana cut him off.

"And what insane grandmother of mine gave you your memories back?"

"Ariana. . ." Elizabeth stared at her. "How many grandmothers do you have that are able to give people their memories back? Besides, that was a stupid question. Think about it."

Ariana thought seriously about this and answered. "Only two, but one of them is dead, so. . ." A look of shock and realization lit upon Ariana's face. "Oh my gosh." She put her head in her hands. "Why does she hate me so much, Elizabeth?"

Carlisle looked at his youngest daughter with confusion. "And what grandmother was able to give people their memories back?"

Ariana looked at him with a 'duh' look on her face. "Dad? Ella and Emily's mom? I mean, think about it. Who else?"

"Who's Ella? _And_ Emily?" Everyone was confused and murmuring about who Ella and Emily might be.

"Ella is-sorry, was-my mom. Emily was her sister. They're witches. Now, Lizzie, what are you doing back?" It was clear that Ariana was done with the other conversation.

"My daughter, of course, Ares."

"Well, then. . ." Ariana looked at Carlisle. "I'm just going to go pack. . ."

"I'll help you." Rosalie and Alice fake-glared at each other when they spoke in unison.

Ariana turned to Alice and jokingly asked if she knew that was going to happen.

Alice stuck her tongue out at Ariana. "No."

"Hey! Better not be sticking your tongue out at me when Jazz is around! He might get mad. . ." Ariana reduced her voice to a whisper at the last sentence with mock fear as she giggled.

They reached Ariana's bedroom and slowly walked in. No one but Ariana _ever_ went into Ares' bedroom. It was pretty much an unspoken rule in the Cullen house.

"I'm going with you, Ares." Rosalie spoke up as the three of them moved around Ariana's room gathering her things and shoving them into a suitcase.

"No, Rose. I can't let you do that and you know it."

Alice looked back and forth between the two of them. "Why can't she?"

"Because when I do this, go back home I mean, it's something I have to do on my own."


	3. A Glimpse Into Mystic Falls

_"No, Rose. I can't let you do that and you know it." _

_Alice looked back and forth between the two of them. "Why can't she?"_

_"Because when I do this, go back home I mean, it's something I have to do on my own."_

Ariana stepped out of her convertible, pushed her oversized sunglasses up onto the top of her head, and tentatively walked up the drive. She had parked her car as far away as possible. As she walked up the steps, she noticed another car pulling in. Turning around, she rang the doorbell, unsure of what Damon would think when he saw her. Ariana glanced behind her to see whose car it was that had pulled up.

She turned completely around, walked back down the steps and made herself close her jaw. She was pretty sure it had almost hit the ground. Chewing her gum and pushing her sunglasses back down over her eyes, she walked around to the driver's side of the car. Inside, a girl was texting on her Blackberry. Tapping on the window, she smirked.

The girl jumped and stared at her through the window. Then the girl rolled down her window.

Hearing the door open, Ariana turned back to it to see who answered it. Damon. Ariana turned back to the girl in the car. The window was down.

Ariana jumped backwards in her Christian Louboutin heels. "Ohmy_gosh!_"

"Aww crap." Damon mumbled. Aloud he said, "Ares, this is-"

"Please tell me it's not-"

"It's not. I swear. This is Elena. _**Gilbert**_." Damon said.

They had always had a knack for cutting each other off and finishing each others' sentences.

"Are ya sure?"

"Duh. Come on, Ares." Damon started walking back up the steps to the house. Ariana followed, glancing back over her shoulder.

Elena got out of her car, confused. Still, she followed the others inside and spoke for the first time since arriving.

"Damon?"

"What?"

"Where's Stefan?"

"He'll be back in a few. He went to go speak with Elijah."

"Elijah?" Ariana sounded surprised.

"Yep. You know, the Original?"

"I'm not stupid, idiot." Ariana punched him on the shoulder. Hard.

"Ow!" Damon rubbed his shoulder. "Dude, do _not_ do that. It hurts. Jerk."

"_That's _the _point_." She smirked, then, swiftly turning to Elena, she said, "not to be rude or anything, but who _are_ you?" Hands on her hips and sunglasses on her head, she looked more like she came from Beverly Hills than from Forks, Washington.

"I'm Elena, Stefan's girlfriend. Who are you?"

Ariana gave the girl a weird look. "Ariana, Stefan and Damon's cousin."

Elena started to open her mouth to speak, but Ariana cut her off.

"Why do you look so much like her?" It was a question Ariana Salvatore hadn't been planning on asking. It was also a question that she couldn't stop before she said it aloud.

"Uh, _excuse _me?"

"You know exactly who I'm talking about so you might as well at least _try_ to explain."

"I'm her descendant."

"Try _doppleganger_."

"Yeah." Elena ran a hand through her long hair. "That too," she said under her breath.

"_Anyways. . ." _Ariana had turned back to Damon who had been watching the exchange. "Did my dad call?"

"Nope." Damon was looking at Ariana like she had grown another head.

"What? Are you that surprised I showed up?"

"Pretty much, yeah." He turned and walked into the library, grabbing a glass and pouring himself some bourbon.

As he sat the bottle back down, Ariana grabbed it and quickly picked up a glass and poured the alcohol.

Damon quickly snatched the glass from her.

"Oh my gosh, Damon."

"Techinically, you're seventeen."

"For eternity. Now hand over the glass before I pour the entire bottle down the drain just so you can't drink it."

"Why are you back, Ariana?" Damon walked into the study where Ariana sat, reading a book.

"My father sent me back. He didn't give me a choice."

"Why?"

"Do you remember me telling you about Elizabeth Hansen?" Ariana sighed.

"Yeah, what about her?" He began to move towards his alcohol stash.

"Well... She's kind of the reason I'm here."

"How? I thought you took her memories?"

"I did. But Hera gave them back to her."

"Hera? As in... Your grandmother from _that_ side of the family?"

"Yeah. As in Queen of Greek gods."

"Stefan's going to be mad when he finds out you're here."

"I know. But. . ."

"But nothing!" Damon yelled. He took a deep breath. "He's still mad at you, Ana." He said softly.

"I know. Okay? I know he is. But there isn't anything that I can do about that. Carlisle practically forced me to come. I don't want to be here anymore than the both of you want me here."

Damon sighed. "When are you planning on leaving?"

"As soon as my father signals the 'okay' to."

"Well I hope that's soon because Stefan won't be gone for long."

Rrrrriiiiiinnnngggg!

"You gonna get that?!" Ariana called out into the boarding house, even though the phone was across the room from her and she was the closest to it.

No answer came from upstairs where Damon was. On the fourth ring, Ariana huffed and jumped up, crossing the room and answering the phone.

"Hello?"

"Is Damon Salvatore there?"

Ariana didn't recognize the voice. "Hold on a moment, please."


	4. Mount Olympus

What did you just say?

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, Percy Jackson, Twilight, or Children of the Corn. Nor do I own Gone With the Wind.

Chapter Four:

Ariana set the phone down and rushed upstairs at vampire speed. "Damon," she called as she ran through the house.

The fourth time she called his name, it was more of a hiss than anything. She looked inside each room she passed and was looking toward a room on her right when she ran into something. Or some_one_. Hard.

"Oof!" Ariana was knocked onto the floor at the impact. "Care to watch where you're going?" she asked without looking up.

"Maybe someone else should watch where _they're _going."

"You knew I wasn't looking. Which is precisely why you _should _have been looking." That was the moment she chose to look up, and a hand was presented to her to help her off the floor. Her gaze ran up the arm to the person attached to it.

"I'm Jeremy. Jeremy Gilbert." He pulled her up off the floor. "You haven't, by any chance, seen my sister, have you?"

"You mean Elena?"

"Yeah, that's the one." The boy — for he wasn't quite a man yet — grinned at her before glancing around.

"I saw her earlier, but as soon as she discovered Stefan wasn't here, she left. Said something about a grill, I think."

"Ah, _The_ Grill." When he saw the puzzled look on her face, he clarified. "The only restaurant in town. . ." It came as more of a question than a statement.

"Oh! Right. I saw it on my way in, of course!"

"Well. . ." Jeremy rubbed the back of his neck. "I should probably get going." He started toward the stairs, but turned back to her before going down them. "Would you like to come? To The Grill, I mean."

"Umm. . . Yeah, okay!" Ariana grinned. "Name's Ariana, by the way."

Jeremy turned his truck into an '"employee parking only" spot and killed the engine.

"Should we be parking here?" Ariana asked, though showing she didn't care by pushing the truck door open.

"What can I say? I'm a rebel." Jeremy grinned wickedly at her and laughed. "That, and I work here part-time. Don't worry."

He held the door for her as she walked through. She nodded her thanks at him and took a few steps in. "Do we seat ourselves, or does someone seat us?"

"I'll show you to your seats." A blonde boy, with sparkling blue eyes walked up to them with menus in his hand, a towel over his shoulder, and a round tray of drinks balanced on the other hand.

"Have you seen Elena, Matt?" Jeremy asked, as they were led to a booth.

"Yeah, she's over there with Care." Matt nodded his head to the corner, near the pool tables, then looked at Ariana. "I'm Matt, by the way. I'm Jer and Elena's friend. I may or may not be serving you today depending on how the rest of my tables look. Natalie might be serving you, but I can start you off with drinks, for now."

Jeremy looked across the table at Ariana, who was flipping through the menu. "They're at the back." He smiled at her and looked at Matt. "I'll have a root beer."

Matt looked at Ariana. "Sweet tea, please." She smiled sweetly at him before flipping through the menu once more.

Once Matt had come back with their drinks and left, giving them a few more minutes to decide, Ariana huffed and set her menu aside. "What are you eating?"

"I'll probably have a cheeseburger and some fries. You?"

"I'm thinking that sounds good right about now." She grinned at him and they passed the next few minutes talking while waiting for Matt to come back.

"So, what were you doing at the Salvatore house?"

"Oh! I'm Damon's cousin. I was looking for him when I ran into you." Her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh. . . My. . . Gosh. I left the phone sitting beside the holder, but I didn't hang up! Gosh. I told the man on the phone to wait a few minutes." She rested her face in her hands. "I hope Damon doesn't find it. He's very OCD about things like that."

"What about Stefan?" Jeremy looked confused.

"What about him?" Ariana pulled a face, but said nothing else.

"You just didn't mention him, is all." He paused, twisting his napkin in his hands. "But now I see that's an unapproachable subject."

Ariana shrugged. "We just don't get along. Haven't for a long time."

"When did you get into town?" Jeremy changed the subject, hoping she wasn't mad at him for bringing Stefan up.

"This morning, actually."

Their food arrived, putting a slight pause on the conversation.

"I'm pretty sure you eat faster than I do!" As soon as the words came out of Jeremy's mouth, he looked ashamed. "I am so sorry! I didn't mean for it to come out that way!"

Ariana was just laughing at his pain. Her eyes were lit up, and her head was thrown back, tresses not in their perfect places anymore.

"And I swear, you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." He cringed as the words, once again, tumbled out of his mouth of their own accord.

She stopped laughing, but kept smiling. Just sitting there, looking at him, before remembering her manners. "Thank you," she said softly.

"And I'm not just saying that to cover up my comment of your eating." Jeremy still had the good grace to look ashamed.

She grinned at him, but glanced toward the door as it opened. _'Damon and Stefan. Just great,' _she thought.

Her frown deepened when Damon spotted her and started their way. It deepened more when Stefan followed him.

Damon gestured for Jeremy to move further into the booth, leaving the only place for Stefan to sit beside Ariana, unless he chose to stand. Though, after a minute, Stefan got tired of people staring at him because he was standing and moved to sit beside the raven haired girl.

"So, brother, don't you have something to say to our _dear _cousin here?" Damon stared at Stefan, whose gaze was focused entirely on the table in front of him.

Stefan looked up abruptly, glancing at Jeremy before turning his head to stare at Ariana, whose eyes fell to her lap, when their eyes met.

Stefan stood up quickly, startling the woman seated at the table next to them. He glanced at her, murmured a quick "sorry," and walked swiftly out of the building.

Elena watched the exchange from the corner, and got up to go after Stefan.

"I don't want to talk to you, Ariana. Leave me alone." Stefan swiveled around to the girl he'd thought his sister — no, cousin. No, he thought again. A stranger. Nothing more.

"Stefan?"

"Elena! I'm sorry. I thought you were Damon's. . . _friend._"

"It's okay. . ." They stood in silence, staring at each other. "Who is she? Is she. . . like you?"

"She's an old friend of the Salvatore family. She's. . . kind of like us." Stefan glanced around the town square. "She's a half-vampire."

"A _half-vampire? _I've never heard of one."

"Most haven't. . ." He sighed. "Listen, Elena, I'm going to have to go out of town for a while with Damon and Ariana. Back to her dad's. They need our help."

"How long will you be gone?" She thought for a moment, waiting for his never-coming answer. "Where does her dad live?"

"He lives in Washington."

"D.C.?" A confused look crossed her face.

"Just Washington."

"Oh. Well, I'll see you when you get back." Elena turned to walk back inside, but Stefan caught her hand before she could walk away.

He twisted her back around and kissed her. "I'll see you when I get back. I love you."

She grinned at him. "I love you, too."

Jeremy was given a "Could you leave for a bit?" look by Damon, so he asked Damon to let him out of the booth. He looked at his new friend as he stood up. I'll just go see about the check."

"Oh!" Ariana started rifling through her purse and got out a twenty, thrusting it toward him.

"It's okay." Jeremy grinned at her. "I got it!"

As soon as Jeremy was out of hearing range, Damon started in on her. "We leave tomorrow morning. We're making a quick stop in New York before heading back to Washington. Have your bags packed and be ready to go by seven o'clock." Damon sighed. "And_ please_, try to get along with Stefan on this trip." He started to get up, but Ariana laid a hand on his arm and spoke up quickly.

"Is the silent treatment considered 'getting along?'" She tried to smile weakly at him, but it showed as more of a grimace.

"If that's as much as I can get, yes. Now do you need a ride or is Jeremy giving you a ride home?"

"I'll ride with you. I'll just tell him we're getting an early start in the morning. I'm sure he'll understand." She grabbed her purse, stood up and straightened her clothing. "I'll meet you in the parking lot, okay?"

"How long will we be in New York?" Ariana stared out the back window of Stefan's car, watching the scenery roll by far too quickly.

"Just long enough to see your mother. And grandmothers." Damon glanced in the backseat, concern for his cousin on his face.

"Grandmother_s_?" She looked panicked. "I only have one there, Damon." Her green eyes found his in the rearview mirror.

He looked away before she could pick anything up from his face. "Well, there's Hecate."

"Hecate? You mean black magic Hecate?"

"Uh. . . All magic, really. But yes."

Stefan glanced in the back seat, but remained silent.

"How is she my grandmother?"

"She's Carlisle's grandmother." Damon looked into the rearview once more. "See, Carlisle thought he was a demigod. He's not. Not really. Poseidon's his dad, Hecate's his mom's mom. Your mom is Aphrodite. And Hera's only your grandmother because she sort of adopted Aphrodite. Bad decision on her part, but it was done before Hera figured out what she was like."

Silence filled the car until Ariana's clear but quiet voice spoke. "Oh."

"Wake up, kid." Damon shook Ariana awake. "We're here. Now, we can't go up, so you're on your own. Okay?"

Ariana glanced over at Stefan, who was watching her and Damon.

Silence ensued before neither could stand it anymore.

"Be careful."

"I'm sorry."

Their words crossed over each other and their words were indecipherable. They got the message, though, because these four words would break the dam that had been holding back their thoughts and words for years. Ariana nodded at Stefan, gave Damon a quick hug, and headed toward the doors of the Empire State building.

Chaos. The only word in Ariana's vocabulary that could truly explain what the throne room of Olympus was like. There was a trident lodged in the wall behind Hermes' head, vines choking Ares and wrapping him onto his throne as he swung his sword at an imaginary attacker in front of him, lightning bolts flying everywhere - Ariana even had to dodge one as she walked toward the gods and goddesses — and a love potion's fumes were swirling around the room, with a little cherub flying behind it, trying to hit everyone with arrows. So much was going on that Ariana didn't have time to process anything else.

Suddenly, Zeus' voice rose above all the commotion. "Cease! We have a visitor!"

Everything stopped in midair as each god and goddess turned toward the giant doors. Ariana glanced around her, spotting Hecate in the corner, looking down into a small version of Hera's. . . looking pool, for lack of a better name. Even from as far away as she was, Ariana could see her father living out his life in the pool. She'd always wondered how the gods had managed to spy on the humans from Olympus. When she looked back to the Olympians, she sought out her mother's face.

She gasped when she finally found it. "So you really are as beautiful as everyone says you are."

Aphrodite smiled. "As are you, child."

Zeus spoke up. "We have watched you from your birth, young one. You travel a lot, no?" He smiled in that grandfatherly way that most never see on Zeus' face.

"I hear I get that from Hecate. Though, I'd no idea I was related to her so closely until quite recently." Ariana walked onto the raised platform the thrones were sitting upon.

Hecate merely watched from the corner, not saying a word, but grinning from ear to ear.

Hera glanced at Hecate and walked toward Ariana in her human-sized form. "Hello, child. I am-"

"Hera, Queen of the gods. I know who you are. I know who all of you are." Ariana glanced around. "And I am assuming you know why I am here. Do you not?"

Athena was the only one who answered. "Of course. You are here because Hera did something you did not like. Correct?"

"I am here because you all have done something at some point that I did not like." Ariana gave a pointed look to each Olympian - most of which had the good grace to look apologetic, though none said a word — as she walked further onto the platform, taking a seat on Hera's throne. Crossing her black skinny jean-clad legs, with her arms resting on each arm of the chair, and her dark hair falling in waves over her shoulders, she almost looked like she belonged there. The throne's magic did not object to her being there as it would anyone else but Hera. Even Hera herself seemed puzzled at this.

Then, as one, the Olympians turned to look at Hecate, as though believing she had something to do with this peculiar act. She paid them no mind, only continued to watch the mortals roam the earth.

"No." Their attention was once again settled upon Ariana. Her presence commanded more authority at that moment than even Zeus', though none there would admit it, for fear of being struck down by their king. "She has no part in this. You know who I am. You know why I am here. Throughout the centuries, they have defiled and slandered my name and yours as well!" She had leaned forward in the claimed throne and stared them down in all her glory. "I _am_ Elena Iliana Mila Ariana Petrova, _daughter _of Kronos."

* * *

The drive to Washington was the most quiet time Ariana had ever spent in her life. These boys — men — that she had known all her life were still a mystery to her. They had asked not a thing since she had come down from Olympus, triumphant, but fuming all the same. Ariana knew that if she were them, she would have asked a thousand questions by now. Of course, thankfully for her, she was not, nor would she ever be, one of the Salvatore boys. Yes, she was a lot like them in so many ways, but she was thankful that Carlisle was not like his brother, their deceased father. Giuseppe was not cruel, but he was very judgmental. He had only wanted the best for his sons, but what he thought best was not always truly good for them. Carlisle was kind, completely non-judgmental, and he let his children choose their paths for themselves. As half-brothers, they were completely different, though as cousins, their children, Stefan and Ariana, were two peas in a pod. As children, they had been best friends. Most had thought them twins with their dark hair and green eyes. They were kind and _aware_. They were aware of everything. Of each person around them. Of how, on the sunny days, Giuseppe wouldn't drink so much. They were aware that Jonathan Gilbert's father slept most Sundays in church, aware of how often Giuseppe had to work, how Ella was trying so hard not to tell them all that was going on in the town because they were only ten, and ten was not the age to be told of vampires, werewolves, and witches. They were aware of how the Misters Salvatore and Lockwood would stay late into the night in the Salvatore library, discussing their children's lives, and practically arranging Ariana and Henry's wedding. They were aware of the soldiers coming through the town with dead eyes. Aware that each boot hitting the soil was just one step closer to Stefan being sent off himself.

And they were aware of how silent the days and nights became when they stopped speaking. Aware that they had ignored most of their other friends for the six years before that because they only had time for each other. Both aware of how afraid the other was of change, and how they could never go back to _that_ town because they had killed him. Because they had killed the man who had raised them. Because they were monsters. And oh, how aware of that fact they were. Aware that Damon hated them. That nothing they said or did could change that and it drove them apart further and further, until their friendship was in ruins and silence overtook them until a chasm swallowed any words they might have said. Aware that Ariana's time in that life was up, that she was deteriorating _every day_ and there was nothing that either of them could do about it, even if they hated each other. They were aware of how much Katherine Pierce had destroyed them, of how, because of Katherine, they might not know each other at all in Ariana's next life, and how they were not sure if they were okay with this, or if they hated this as much as they hated each other.

Yes, they were aware. And it _killed_ them. Except, what had literally killed them. . . Well. That was the only thing they hadn't been aware of before it had taken place.

This. . . Flurry, of emotions settled upon her heart, these, thoughts, invaded her brain, until all she could do was put her head down and scream, and then Damon had pulled over, and both he and Stefan got in the back seat, one on each side, and held onto her until she stopped. It seemed like hours passed before she stopped and lifted her head, a solitary tear running down her face.

"Where are we, Damon?" Her voice — so much like that of a child's — broke the silence.

"We're in Kansas. In the middle of nowhere."

"Oh. So we're sitting next to a cornfield, then." She no longer sounded broken, because pulling herself back together was something she _did. _It was one of the only things she was good at, and by golly, if it was the only thing in this situation that could be done, she'd do it, simply for the familiarity of it. Well, that, and these were the only people she ever cried in front of that she could remember.

Stefan's laugh was glorious to her. It had been so long since she had heard it. Damon, however, was confused by it.

"I'm afraid I don't understand. Why is that funny?"

"Have you ever seen Children of the Corn?" Stefan grinned at his brother, while Ariana visibly cringed.

Damon shook his head. "The two of you have serious problems. And of course I've seen that. Is there anyone left who hasn't seen it? It's the worst movie in all of history, except maybe Gone With the Wind."

"Now, can we please get out of Kansas, Toto?" Ariana grinned at Damon before pushing both of them away from her. Well, as far as the car would allow her to push them away.

"Right away, Dorothy!" He pushed the door open and hopped out, and before she realised it, they were halfway across Kansas, headed to Carlisle's house in Washington. Her _home. _


End file.
